Agitator for washing machines



ING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY T. W. BEHAN Filed NOV. 13, 1951 June 2, 1936. T. w. BEHAN AGITATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Nav. 13, 1931 2 sheetsf'sheet 2 TJ INVENTOR ATTORNEY V 4? Patented June 2, 1936 2,042,578 AGTATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES Thomas W. Behan, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Binghamton, N. Y., a corporation o! New York Application November 13, 1931, Serial No. 574,765

Claims. (Cl. 259-101) This invention relates to improvements in agitators for washing machines. It has been a primary object of the invention to devise an agitator which is simple and inexpensive to manumaterial While the main body of the agitator is preferably constructed of aluminum, or similar material, which may be readily cast. By the selection of aluminum for this purpose, a construcfacture and one which will require a minimum tion which is suillciently sturdy is provided and 5 amount of power for its operation. This enables at the same time it is relatively light and will use of the improved agitator in a machine proreduce the burden placed upon the motor'to os-` vided with a smaller motor, considering the cacillate it. The bushings may be introduced into pacity of the machine. than it has heretofore the casting and held in any suitable way, as been possibleto employ. At the same time a relby forcing them into recesses or pockets' adapt- 10 atively high emclency in the washing of clothes ed to receive them. has been maintained. Provision is made for connecting the agitator to Other objects and advantages of the inventhe operating spindle and for effecting a disconticn will appear from a detailed description of nection to permit the spindle to rotate independseveral illustrative forms of the same which will ently. The means for this purpose comprises a 15 now be given in conjunction with the accomvertically disposed key I8 slidably mounted in an panying drawings in which: elongated slot I9 formed in the upper end of the Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a washing ma shank of the agitator. The key is adapted to chine embodying the improved agitator. be forced into a slot 20 formed in the upper Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of one end of the spindle and when so engaged will 20 form of the improved agitator. connect the spindle and agitator for joint rota- Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view along the tion. When the key is lifted, however, by means line 3-3 of Figure 2. of a knob 2|, to dlsengage it from the slot 20, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view along the the spindle I0 may be rotated independently of line I-I of Figure 2. the agitator. A spring detent 22 may be pro- 25 Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modied form vided in a suitable aperture in the key I8 to fricof. the improved' agitator. tionally retain the key in elevated position.

Fig. 6 is a transverse, sectional view along the The outer contour of the agitator is such that line 6-6 of Figure 5. its surface is smooth and free from sharp, angu- Fig. 7 is a similar transverse, sectional view lar projections or corners which would be apt to 30 along the line 'l-l of Figure 5. Y harm the clothes during the washing action. Fig. 8 is a detail, vertical sectional view show- The base portion I4 is preferably circular in ing the connection between the agitator and contour and-may be of sufficient diameter to subthe spindle, and stantially iill a slight depression 24 formed in Fig. 9 is a detail, sectional view along the line the bottom of the tub. The shank portion rises 35 9--9 of Figure 8. from the base `in the form of a three sided, py-

Referring now to the drawings, the agitators ramidal structure which is merged along smooth, illustrated are adapted to be applied to a masweeping lines with the base and with a slender chine having a central spindle or post lll exportion, triangular in cross-section as shown in tending upwardly through the bottom of a tub Fig. 3, adjacent the top of the agitator. For 40 Il to a point adjacent the top. Any suitable some distance down, say to a point 25, the shank means, well known in the art, may be provided may suitably be formed with substantially flat for imparting an oscillating movement to the sides 26 aring outwardly at a slight angle from spindle l0. A motor l2 may be utilized as the top to bottom and producing a section in the power source. l nature of a. frustum of a three sided pyramid. 45 The agitator, designated generally by the char- Above this section may conveniently be formed a acter I3. is formed with an outwardly aring base cylindrical portion 21 which encases the bushing portion I4 and a vertically extending body or i6. At the point 25 along each edge of the pyshank portion l5. The latter at its upperfend ramidal section a smooth curve of suitable ramay carry a bushing I6 adapted to snugly fit the dius merges this edge with a substantially hori- 50 upper 'end of the spindle. Adjacent the lower zontally extending ridge 28 forming the upper end of the shank portion there is provided a secedge of a vane 29 that extends nearly to the edge ond bushing I'I adapted to engage the spindle at of the base. The vertical edge 30 of each of these a lower point. These bushings are preferably vanes is connected with the upper edge 28 by a formed of brass or bronze or similar good bearing 55 well-rounded curved portion 3|. Those portions the formation of sharp shoulders or corners.

32 of the surface of the agitator which lie between the bottoms of the side portions 26, the `vanes 29 and the flat edge portions 33 of the base are curved along sweeping arcs in all directions so as to form in effect small sections of spherical concavity. The edges between the sides 26 as well as the edges 28 and 3D are well rounded to avoid any danger whatever of tearing the clothes. While the surfaces 26 have been referred to as being at, it will be understood that they are not necessarily so and in fact are preferably somewhat concave, particul-arly near their lower ends Where they merge with the spherical sections 32.

In the operation of the agitator just described it will be apparent that the sweeping, smooth, curved surfaces between the three ridges will permit the water and the clothes within the tub to shift with considerable freedom across or relative to these faces. This will reduce to a minimum the resistance met with to the turning of the agitator and hence will require a minimum of power for its operation. At the same time, the Vanes 29 will set up a churning action which will .cause a rapid movement of the water through the clothes.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 7, a modified form of agitator construction embodying certain features of the invention is disclosed. This modied construction lends itself readily to production from sheet metal although it may, if desired, be readily produced as a casting in the manner specifled with respect to the first embodiment. As shown, it may comprise a fiat base member 34 and a portion which rises vertically from the base. This Vertical portion may be in the form of a three sided member having the meeting edges 35 of sides 36 tapering inwardly at a suitable small angle from a point at or adjacent to the edge of the base toward the top of the agitator. These sides are concave from top to bottom as shown, about an axis at an angle to that of the agitator substantially the same as the angle of inclination of the side faces, and except for this concavity produce a frustum of a three sided pyramid. The edges 35 and the lines of juncture 31 between the sides 36 and the vbase 34 are well rounded to avoid The concavity of the sides is suicient to create three vanes which are relatively slender adjacent their outer edges and which are joined by a smooth, sweeping arc of large radius. To permit application of the agitator to the oscillating spindle of a washing machine a bearing sleeve 38 adapted to snugly receive the spindle is suitably fixed along the longitudinal axis of the agitator. At its upper end the sleeve may suitably be adapted for splined connection with the spindle. If this type of agitator is formed of sheet material, the sides may be separately formed or they may be formed of one sheet of material and the two free edges 5 may be welded together. The base may be similarly secured by welding to the sides of the ver-v tical portion or it may be formed as an integral, out-turned portion of the sides. The bearing sleeve may be secured in its central position in 10 any convenient way as by welding, for example. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as the rst form, although the churning action upon the water is not concentrated to the same extent toward the bottom of 15 the agitator.

While several illustrative forms of the invention have been disclosed in considerable detail in the foregoing, it will be'understood that various changes may be made in the form and manner of construction of the agitator without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An agitator having a disc-like base, a py- 25 ramidal upper portion, and an intermediate section having spherical, concave surfaces merging smoothly into the base and upper portion.

2. An agitator having a disc-like base, a pyramidal upper portion, and an intermediate sec- 30 tion having spherical, concave surfaces merging smoothly into the base and upper portion, said intermediate section having extensions forming radially projecting vanes, the surfaces of said extensions merging in unbroken contour with said 3 spherical surface. y

3. An agitator having a disc-like base, a pyramidal upper portion having three sides, and an intermediate section having three spherical, concave surfaces merging smoothly into the base 40 and upper portion.

4. An agitator for washing machines which comprises a disc-like base member, and a body portion in the form of a frustum of a pyramid, the outer faces of said frustum being concave completely across the same about substantially 4 vertical axes parallel with the faces. l

5. An agitator for washing machines which comprises a disc-like base member, and a body portion in the form of a frustum of a pyramid, the outer faces of said frustum from edge to edge being of increasing concavity from top to bottom about substantially vertical axes and being extended adjacent their lower ends to form radially projecting vanes.

'THOMAS W. BEHAN. 

